diff --git a/matlab/dynare_config.m b/matlab/dynare_config.m
index 4c591dfdf..2922941fd 100644
--- a/matlab/dynare_config.m
+++ b/matlab/dynare_config.m
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ if ~exist('OCTAVE_VERSION')
     addpath([dynareroot '/missing/rows_columns'])
     % Replacement for vec() (inexistent under MATLAB)
     addpath([dynareroot '/missing/vec'])
-    if isempty(license('inuse','statistics_toolbox'))
+    [has_statistics_toolbox junk] = license('checkout','statistics_toolbox');
+    if ~has_statistics_toolbox
         % Replacements for functions of the stats toolbox
         addpath([dynareroot '/missing/stats/'])
     end
@@ -100,7 +101,8 @@ if exist('OCTAVE_VERSION')
         addpath([dynareroot '/missing/nanmean'])
     end
 else
-    if isempty(license('inuse','statistics_toolbox'))
+    [has_statistics_toolbox junk] = license('checkout','statistics_toolbox');
+    if ~has_statistics_toolbox
         addpath([dynareroot '/missing/nanmean'])
     end
 end
@@ -262,4 +264,4 @@ if verbose
     disp(' ')
 end
 
-cd(origin);
\ No newline at end of file
+cd(origin);
diff --git a/matlab/dynare_solve.m b/matlab/dynare_solve.m
index bf6a68f48..2f8ad9f59 100644
--- a/matlab/dynare_solve.m
+++ b/matlab/dynare_solve.m
@@ -38,8 +38,11 @@ global options_
 options_ = set_default_option(options_,'solve_algo',2);
 info = 0;
 if options_.solve_algo == 0
-    if ~exist('OCTAVE_VERSION') && isempty(license('inuse','optimization_toolbox'))
-        error('You can''t use solve_algo=0 since you don''t have MATLAB''s Optimization Toolbox')
+    if ~exist('OCTAVE_VERSION')
+        [has_optimization_toolbox junk] = license('checkout','optimization_toolbox');
+        if ~has_optimization_toolbox
+            error('You can''t use solve_algo=0 since you don''t have MATLAB''s Optimization Toolbox')
+        end
     end
     options=optimset('fsolve');
     options.MaxFunEvals = 50000;
diff --git a/matlab/solve_one_boundary.m b/matlab/solve_one_boundary.m
index 7d8ab9957..19aa5fcad 100644
--- a/matlab/solve_one_boundary.m
+++ b/matlab/solve_one_boundary.m
@@ -224,8 +224,11 @@ for it_=start:incr:finish
                 if (verbose == 1)
                     disp('steady: fsolve');
                 end
-                if ~exist('OCTAVE_VERSION') && ~license('test', 'optimization_toolbox')
-                    error('SOLVE_ONE_BOUNDARY: you can''t use solve_algo=0 since you don''t have MATLAB''s Optimization Toolbox')
+                if ~exist('OCTAVE_VERSION')
+                    [has_optimization_toolbox junk] = license('checkout','optimization_toolbox');
+                    if ~has_optimization_toolbox
+                        error('SOLVE_ONE_BOUNDARY: you can''t use solve_algo=0 since you don''t have MATLAB''s Optimization Toolbox')
+                    end
                 end
                 options=optimset('fsolve');
                 options.MaxFunEvals = 50000;
diff --git a/tests/run_test_matlab.m b/tests/run_test_matlab.m
index 48cd788f0..cd8263c90 100644
--- a/tests/run_test_matlab.m
+++ b/tests/run_test_matlab.m
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ end
 failedBlock = {};
 num_block_tests = 0;
 cd([top_test_dir '/block_bytecode']);
+[has_optimization_toolbox junk] = license('checkout','optimization_toolbox');
 for blockFlag = 0:1
     for bytecodeFlag = 0:1
         default_solve_algo = 2;
@@ -85,7 +86,7 @@ for blockFlag = 0:1
             solve_algos = 1:8;
             stack_solve_algos = 0:5;
         end
-        if license('test', 'optimization_toolbox')
+        if has_optimization_toolbox
             solve_algos = [ solve_algos 0 ];
         end